Lining Up for Free Hugs in Cannes this Weekend

How does starting off the New Year with a hug from a total stranger sound to you? We can guarantee that it will put a smile on your face!

A crazy idea? Maybe, but if you watch the videos posted on YouTube by the Free Hugs Campaign or talk to anyone who has taken part in this growing social movement, this simple act of kindness can really make a difference.

After all, we can never really know what the people we see on the streets are going through, or what kind of day they may be having!

“I always feel very emotional afterwards”, says Eric, a Cagnes-sur-Mer resident, who already has a few free hugs campaigns under his belt. “Of course, you always have some people who are wary and find us creepy but most people we encounter are very receptive. Some are puzzled by what they see, walk away and then come back a few seconds later to give it a try. Some others literally run to us as soon as they spot us (…). To see them smile or even cry after a hug is priceless. One day, I had an older lady who told me that it meant the world to her because she had not been hugged in years! It was really worth it”.

This is why this coming Saturday, 11th January, from 11am to 4pm, Eric will once again wear his “Etreintes offertes” t-shirt and join with twenty to thirty other “hug afficionados” on the Croisette in Cannes to spread the cheer. And they will not be alone. Over in Antibes, people will also be gathering at Place Nationale from 4:30pm. Everybody is welcome to join in – the more, the merrier!

Inspired by the real life story of Juan Mann, who upon his return to his native Australia, decided to give free hugs to strangers, to just bring some love into this world with a simple gesture of kindness.

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So, if you happen to be in Cannes or Antibes this Saturday, and have strangers approach you with open arms, don’t be afraid – just prepare yourself for some serious hug therapy!